Not too long ago, the Mexicans would have won this game hands down. Now, a draw is a good result for them. Welcome To The New Soccer Nation!
No your wrong it was The US NAtional team that drew the NATIONAL team of Mexico. 0-0... The USA did itself proud holding Mexico to a 0-0 and continuing the run of unbeaten games...
Agreed. The domestic talent is really something and they showed that Major League Soccer is worth its weight.
Let's not go overboard. The U.S. had all it's MLS big shots, while Mexico was missing several players thanks to injuries and Libertadores committments. (That's not an excuse, it's a reason). Stop patting yourselves on the back. MLS could've mopped the floor with these guys and didn't. Does anyone seriously think Mexico wouldn't have converted if Borgetti, Palencia and Morales had been in the lineup?
It was far from a top American side too, missing O'Brien, Lewis, Berhallter, Friedel, Cherundulo, etc. Both countries B+ teams drew last night in Houston.
I'm not speaking of specific shots, but more shots on goal. Their generalship wasn't exactly great out there last night.
I don't see this game as MLS vs. MFL to be honest. I agree more with the person who said the Concacaf Champions Cup is MLS vs. MFL.
Why are you mentioning guys playing in Europe? I specifically mentioned MLS in my posting because others on the thread are taking this match as a source of MLS pride. It was an MLS all-star club out there last night. Fine. The Mexican players I brought up are all in the Liga Mexicana, not Europe.
That's the difference between the United States and Argentina; in the United States you can make your dreams come true, in Argentina, you are forced to live out your worst nightmares.
Mexico has scored exactly one goal the last seven times they've played the U.S. No, I don't think it would have made a difference.
i absolutely agree. i felt much more comfortable with the level of play from some of the young MLSers like Convey, Califf, Boca, and especially Howard. I thought this was a pretty good performance by the US team. I thought they completely dominated the second half. Mexico again had much more of the ball control but simply couldnt generate chances against our back 5.
At the very end of the Telemundo b'cast last night, Andres made a quiet little comment about Il Bruce having some sort of Vulcan mind-meld power over Mexican coaches. We can get into all sorts of smack about what if this player or that player were there (although ask Brazil how great a finisher Borghetti sp? is), but the fact remains that Bruce - an MLS product - consistently outcoaches his counterparts for the Tri.... ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡oh wait!!!!! they're not even all Mexican.
Certainly there were many top Mexico players missing, and a couple of them are in Europe. And, certainly there were some key US players out and besides Josh Wolff most of them are in Europe.. To me that is something of a wash. Further, if the US played Mexico 5 times a wekk for the next year Mexico would ALWAYS have more possession, make more quick passing movements and generally have more creative touches. But, by the same token, every US team would run like crazy until they dropped (McBride, Hejduk, Mastro), pressure and make the odd fluid, multi-player movement. And their keeper would look solid. Always. So, given those constants I found it a terrific game with both teams playing to their strengths, demonstrating their weaknesses and putting on a real show for the huge crowd. I won't say that MLS is the equal of MFL but I will say that I expect the next round of serious club matches (whenever they come) to reflect the closing gap. Boo to Reliant Stadium for that terrible turf and hat's off to both teams for coping with it as well as they did. JIM DOW
Riverplate, you're the one that said in the original post that it was the US hotshots and never mentioned MLS at all. Of course the thought that it was MLS against MFL is wrong since the foreign MFL players are much better than the foreign MLS players (and the national MFL players).
No, I will not "nevermind." I know you're going to say Mexicans are hardly rampaging all over Europe. True. It has been a detriment to their development as a world soccer power that the Mexicans have preferred to stay at home. They're too nationalistic for their own good. They have reached a certain level of achievement but have stayed put there. Now, the U.S. and Central America is catching up to them (or already has, in the opinion of some). The question now is: Do you want MLS and USMNT to emulate the Liga Mexicana and be nationalistic, encouraging our guys to stay at home and stagnate, thereby relegating MLS and USMNT to the ranks of being "good enough" (to beat the Mexicans, but who else?), or will you endorse the common sense approach which will get USMNT to the next level and be a real contender for the World Cup by pushing the best American players to play in the finest leagues, the European ones. If any of those Americans on the field last night have the opportunity to move on, they should do it.